Here’s a tough pill I think. I believe we’ve gotten to the point where Pokémon won’t go back to being solely a collector’s hobby.
Yes there will be a lot of collectors in places like E4 where we care about the cards and there is sentimental meaning in them for us. But I think as long as there is money to be made unfortunately there will always be those who are looking to predict trends and cash off of Pokémon either vintage or modern.
Once the ability to make easy money wears off, it will go back to mostly collecting and long term investing.
Too easy to buy a raw card for $10, grade a 10, and sell for $100. That can’t last forever
I think by the end of the SV era that should happen since the pull rates are so much higher. Higher than they’ve ever been.
Already so many clowns are longing for the return of ‘alt arts’ which is really just longing for something rare and valuable since alt arts never went away.
i laugh so hard when those people act like SIR/SARs(Trainer Galleries/CSRs are basically alts too) arent alt arts when its exactly the same thing only difference to them is the money 
A tough pill to swallow is when you live thousands of miles away from your favorite people on the internet. Just casually inviting someone over for a barbeque or going for a swim in the lake isn’t really an option.
One of my closest friends recently had a visitor from overseas, first time they met in real life but they’ve been gaming together for 10 years. Really cool guy, we went out for steaks and did some local sightseeing. We all agreed we have to try and meet up again but of course it’s probably going to be a long time. And he only lives 1200 miles away!
Sadly, the E4 Art contest of 2024 is almost 12 months away. Will need to find some patience in the meantime.
A tough pill is when you have those moments of stepping back and being conscious of the fact that that all of this interest, time and money is focussed on some mass-printed rectangles of cardboard with cartoony pictures on that someone has drawn…
…And you contemplate the non-existent value of this stuff in the grand scheme of things…
…Then notice a good deal on a vintage holo on eBay & forget about the whole thing.
I’ve had those moments. I’m more so conscious now though of the fact that life is short and you should spend it doing what you enjoy. I enjoy spending dumb amounts of money on shiny cardboard.
This is reaching nirvana.
Absolutely! This is why it’s always a bitter pill to swallow when the thought creeps up on you without warning; especially when you’re just blissfully going through life, enjoying blowing too much on the shiny stuff.
The graded pack meta still hasn’t come to terms with what PSA did (farming them out to that random guy who knew nothing).
e4 is just as echo chambery as reddit, it’s just a nicer echo.
Nah. Reddit is primarily one demographic talking about one thing. E4 has every age, country, language, collector type. There are plenty of disagreements. They just aren’t as noticeable because members are more respectful and accepting of all collectors.
Pretty sure elitefourum is top down trickles to Reddit , but Reddit supports the organic hype for the casual pubs
Try to be cool and say something super edgy on Reddit, you get tons of responses and backlash.
Try to be cool and say something super edgy on Efour, you get ignored by 98% of the forum.
We are not the same. 
One of my bitter pokepills; the glamour of opening vintage booster boxes is gone. They no longer represent the same thing they once did.
Man this is so on point! It is truly a tough pill to swallow! 
I agree, though give it another 20+ years and it may come round once more.
I hope the short term mindset will move on, and we’ll stop seeing sealed boxes paraded around next to a rolex or luxury vehicle. I love vintage, but cringe at most of these showcase collections…
Perhaps, you never know. I think it’s such a bitter pill because it’s a farewell. Like being 18 and feeling like you have time or being 9 and feeling like you can’t wait to grow up. Something that can never be again.
That is very deep.